The two companies currently supply more than a quarter of the seeds and pesticides sold worldwide.

That means competition regulators will likely demand some parts of the businesses be sold off for the deal to go ahead.

“Political pushback”

Bernstein Research analysts said on Tuesday they saw only a 50 percent chance of the deal winning regulatory clearance, although they cited a survey among investors that put the likelihood at 70 percent on average

“We believe political pushback to this deal, ranging from farmer dissatisfaction with all their suppliers consolidating in the face of low farm net incomes to dissatisfaction with Monsanto leaving the United States, could provide significant delays and complications,” they wrote in a research note.

Some of Bayer’s own shareholders have opposed it saying the company is paying too much and that this move could mean it neglects the pharmaceuticals part of its business with the shift in focus.

Monsanto shareholders definitely the winners in this deal if it passes regulatory hurdles. Bayer shareholders? Not so much….$MON